


Go for Broke

by FeliciaSueLynn



Series: Check Please Rare Pair One Shots [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Rare Pairings, canon typical drinking, nervous adorable ransom is nervous and adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 13:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11533515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeliciaSueLynn/pseuds/FeliciaSueLynn
Summary: The next time Tater visits the Haus, Ransom finally gets his life together and talks to him.





	Go for Broke

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a post on tumblr asking for more Ransom/Tater fic on ao3 so I asked for prompts for it. The prompt was: during the next kegster Tater goes to, Ransom takes a deep breath, psyches himself up and leaves the attic. 
> 
> If you have any prompts for a ransom/tater or even other rare pairs let me know and maybe I'll write it ??? Hmu on my [Tumblr](https://kentparsnipparson.tumblr.com/).

Ransom takes a deep breath. He’s still hiding in the attic. Bitty warned him in advance that Tater would be coming to the final Kegster of the year. It’s his last kegster as a student at Samwell and just wow, he does not want to think about that. He quickly pushes the thought aside and continues to focus on his breathing. 

He was going to head downstairs but 10 minutes ago he heard Tater loudly claim that he’s here and then start talking animatedly with Bitty. He’s been trying to steel his nerves and go downstairs since but every time he thinks he has a handle on it Tater’s voice rises from the floors below and he has to start over.

“Dude,” Holster says from the stairs leading into the attic, “You’re not going to hide up here the whole time Tater’s here are you? You do realize Tater is going to be here the whole night.”

“Yea, yea. I’m working on it. Just give me a few more minutes.”

“Kay, well, Bitty says you don’t get any pie unless you get over your nerves and come down,” Holster says sympathetically and retreats back downstairs. 

Ransom takes another deep breath and walks over to the mirror. He puts his white hat on, the one Tater wore last time, for luck. 

“You got this,” he says to himself. He shakes out his limbs, breaths deeply and leaves the attic. 

He gets to the second floor of the haus and pauses to take another deep breath. Thankfully no one is around to chirp him as he ends up taking several to try and calm himself down. He finally forces himself down to the main floor. Lardo comes out of the kitchen eating what looks like one of Bitty’s maple frosted cookies.

“Bro,” she says looking up at him, “you good?”

He nods. She looks him up and down with a look that says if you say so.

“Tater’s in there. Just so you know,” she says. She pats him on the shoulder and heads to the bathroom to oversee the frogs making the tub juice. He nods again. It’s just Tater. His favorite hockey player and celebrity crush. Who saw him last time. In his pajamas. Barely awake. It’s no big deal. Right?

He doesn’t let himself think on it any more. He pushes into the kitchen.

“Hey Bits, how’s the pie making going,” Ransom asks aiming for casual. If the look Bitty gives him is anything to go by, he’s definitely failed.

“Ransom, yes,” Tater asks from the table where he’s currently devouring a piece of fresh pie. Ransom nearly trips but manages to catch himself. He pulls out a chair and sits as calmly as he can across from Tater.

“Uh, yea,” Ransom mumbles. 

“I’m glad to see you better,” Tater replies around a mouthful of pie.

Bitty sets a piece of pie in front of Ransom and squeezes his shoulder. Tater continues talking.

“Holster say you not feel well last time. Is why I only saw you little bit. I ask, why man with nice cheekbones not come down and he say you didn’t feel good.”

Ransom almost spits out the piece of pie he’s chewing on. He somehow manages to swallow it even though his mouth and throat feel dry as the Mojave. He coughs and takes a sip of water.

“What,” he asks voice raspy. He looks around for help from Bitty to make sense of this but he seems to be suddenly alone with Tater in the kitchen. He was wrong he definitely can’t handle this. 

Tater just continues talking, “Anyway, I’m glad you feel better. Can get to know you now like I know Zimmboni’s other friends.”

Ransom nods and continues eating his pie. He’s not sure he could manage to say anything coherent at the moment. His mind is still stuck repeating man with nice cheekbones in Tater’s voice. 

Tater starts asking him a bunch of questions about himself. He answers to the best of his ability. Bitty comes back in but Tater keeps asking questions. What’s your major? What position do you play? The questions go on and on. He slowly gets more comfortable with Tater the more they talk. It’s nice and his nerves have slowly died out with more exposure. If Ransom’s eyes linger a little too long on Tater’s exposed arms or on the gold necklace laying nicely against his collar bones or his lips as they twist around English, he doesn’t think anyone notices.

“I’m sure Zimmboni is favorite player. But who is second favorite player,” Tater asks as they walk out of the kitchen beers in hand to watch Lardo officiate the first beer pong round of the night. 

Without thinking, because talking has become easy he says, “Oh, you. I’ve been following your career for a while.”

Tater stops mid step and looks at him, eyes narrowed and lips pressed into a thin line.

“Is okay. You won’t hurt feelings by saying is someone else.”

“No, dude. Really,” Ransom splutters, “Ask anyone, I’ve been a big fan for a while.”

Tater breaks into a grin, “Good. I am best.”

Tater nods definitively. Ransom sighs in relief and leans back against the wall in the living room. Tater’s arm rests comfortable against him and the entire left side of his body is warm from it. His cheeks feel warm and he thanks god no one can see him blushing at this moment.

One of the frogs makes a clutch shot and he shouts with the rest of the team watching. Tater joins in and ends up throwing his arm around Ransom’s shoulders. Ransom is pretty sure he stopped breathing. He goes still unable to process the warmth spreading down from Tater’s arm.

“Is okay?” Tater breathes in his ear. Ransom has to physically stop the shiver that tries to crawl down his spine. He nods and Tater leaves his arm there. They stay like that. Tater making occasional comments about the party going on around them and Ransom trying to seem cool and composed. He’s not succeeding but Tater doesn’t seem bothered. As with talking earlier, he gradually loosens up under Tater’s arm the longer it stays there. 

“Okay Ransom, you be partner, we play Lardo in beer pong.”

“That’s not a good idea, Tater,” Ransom tries to warn him.

“Is okay. I know she beat us. But will be fun, yes?”

“True,” he replies and laughs. Tater pulls him to the end of the ping pong table when Lardo asks if there’s any challengers. 

“Ready to be creamed, boys,” she asks and sinks the first ball of the game in the cup closest to her. Tater and Ransom look at each other and shrug. Her partner sinks the second ball as well so they both take a cup and down it. 

They play admirably. They end up making Lardo and her partner drink 3 cups but it’s over quickly for them. Slightly tipsy, Ransom wraps his arm around Tater’s waist when he throws his arm back over Ransom’s shoulders. Tater smiles down at him when he does and starts leading him towards the kitchen.

“Is time for more pie!”

The party continues like that. Tater dragging Ransom around it. He feels bad for monopolizing his time but Tater seems to be enjoying himself and wanting to stick near Ransom so he soon let’s that thought float away. 

The final Kegster is well over halfway over. People are trickling out when Tater leans down to talk to Ransom.

“I have to use bathroom, be right back cheekbone friend,” he says. Words not quite slurring but not quite sober either.

Tater walks away and Ransom suddenly feels cool but Holster slides in next to him.

“So…?”

Ransom doesn’t say anything so Holster nudges him.

“You’ve been pretty much attached to his hip since you mustered up the nerve to talk to him. I’m feeling a little jealous, bro,” Holster chirps.

“Shut up,” Ransom replies through a smile and playfully shoves Holster.

“Just saying. There was no reason to be so nervous.”

Ransom rolls his eyes but let’s Holster have his moment. Tater walks back up to them and Holster slips away after throwing a light punch to Ransom’s shoulder. Tater is frowning and there’s a line straight between his eyebrows.

“What’s up, dude?”

“There is long line for bathroom,” he replies frown deepening. 

“Oh yea, follow me,” Ransom says and leads him upstairs under the caution tape and to the second floor bathroom, “This one should be good.”

“Thank you. Now you life saving, cheekbone friend,” Tater smiles squeezing Ransom’s shoulder and going into the bathroom. 

Ransom tries to calm his heart down as he leans against the wall. He’s got it mostly back to normal when Tater comes out of the bathroom yawning. He frowns again when he sees Ransom there.

“I saw you talking with Holster. I’m sorry if I take all time at party. You can go back if you want,” he says, lips quirking in a way that Ransom doesn’t quite like.

“No, it’s fine. It’s one of the best Kegsters I’ve been to if I’m honest.”

“Oh really,” Tater asks perking up.

“Yea, how many people can say they partied with their favorite NHL player?”

“I’m favorite? I thought it Zimmboni,” Tater asks through a shit eating grin. Ransom rolls his eyes.

“You’re my favorite. But don’t tell anyone, okay? I’m already going to be chirped for life for hiding from you,” he says. Then he realizes what he says and he looks up at Tater in panic. The weird lip quirk is back. His heart is back to pounding a thousand beats per minute.

“You hide from me? When? Last time I’m here?”

Ransom could punch himself in the face for letting that slip but he can’t leave Tater hanging like this so he supposes it’s time to confess.

“Uh, yea. I was, um, I was too nervous to talk to you. Which is why I stayed in the attic.”

“Why? Cause I am favorite hockey player? That is no reason to hide.”

Ransom looks around trying to decide if he should go for broke. What are the chances he’ll see Tater again after this really? He’ll be going to med school next year and likely won’t be able to get to any kegsters. He and Jack are friends but not to the point where they would make an effort to see each other often. He takes a deep breath to ground himself and decides to just do it.

“It was more because I have a huge crush on you and I didn’t know what to do.”

He squeezes his eyes shut waiting for a reaction from Tater but when nothing happens for a solid thirty seconds he slowly opens them back up. Tater is staring at him, blinking slowly with a huge grin spread across his face.

“Oh thank goodness,” Tater says visibly loosening up, “I’m also have crush on you. Saw you play couple of games when Jack watch on TV and then those cheekbones. I’m very gone. Is that how you say it?”

Ransom laughs and drops his head down a bit. How did he get here? He’s not sure. This has to be a dream but then Tater is crowding him against the wall and his head is pressed against a broad chest and he’s overwhelmed by just how real this is. He looks up at Tater and he looks happy and contemplative. 

“I’m thinking we both have too much to drink. But how about we cuddle and sleep,” he says finishing his sentence with another yawn. Ransom thinks that sounds amazing. He leads Tater up to the attic. He’s silently thankful he and Holster decided to clean up their room a few days ago so it’s not as messy as it could be.

“Uh, I normally sleep on the top bunk but-,” Ransom starts but Tater starts climbing the ladder and presses himself against the wall then pats the bed. Ransom laughs and climbs in next to him. It shouldn’t be comfortable. Ransom barely fits in this bed by himself but somehow they make it work. Tater spoons him and he falls into the deepest sleep he’s had since he started applying to grad school.

Ransom wakes up the next morning very alone in bed. He’s 110% sure he dreamed he whole thing and that he never actually came out of his room yesterday. He pulls his phone from his shorts pocket when it vibrates several times.

Unknown number: I had very good time last night. You too yes? ))))

Unknown number: Is tater by the way ))))

Unknown number: Talk later, set up date, okay???

Ransom smiles and drops the phone next him. He’s resisting the urge the squeal. He settles for flopping around his bed in excitement.

“Dude, have your teenage girl moment later. I’m trying to sleep.”

**Author's Note:**

> So yea that's it. This is my first fic for Check Please. Idky but writing fic for a fandom I've never written for before makes me hella nervous. Going to try to write more for Check Please in the future though. Like I said, if you have prompts or just want to scream about check please please feel free to talk to me on [Tumblr](https://kentparsnipparson.tumblr.com/)!!
> 
> Thanks for reading~


End file.
